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Q. I'm a credentialed technician, and I'm interested in specialty training. What are my options?

Amy Butzier

First you need to decide where your interests lie, says Amy Butzier, BS, MEd, CVT, past president of NAVTA. "Would you like to learn about large animals, emergency medicine, or cardiology? Once you establish the specialty that you want to learn more about, you can look for continuing education programs that offer wet labs in specialty techniques, find a job at a specialty practice, or volunteer your services for an organization or group that piques your interest," Butzier says.

You also can pursue a veterinary technician specialist (VTS) certification in four programs: emergency and critical care, anesthesiology, dentistry, and internal medicine, she says. To receive VTS credentials, you must meet these requirements from the academy that offers the specialty:

Graduate from an AVMA-accredited program or be legally credentialed to practice in your state, province, or country

Successfully complete the education, training, and experience requirements established by the academy

Undergo review and approval for specialist status by the academy.

You can learn more about these programs by visiting the NAVTA Web site or the academy Web sites.